Familiarity
by Violet Dawson
Summary: Blue Bloods series, by Melissa De La Cruz. In Mimi Force's hands, idle hands truly are the devil's playground.
1. High School

Mimi looked around, devastatingly bored. With Jack running around with that little slut Schuyler and Bliss still pining over her lost love, she was less in the center of everyone's universe than she was comfortable with. Rolling her eyes, she scanned the room like a cat searching for something to pounce on. Several of her fellow students were availing themselves of some of Block 122's more intriguing services; others were already passed out waiting to be carried to the back room to sleep off whatever ailed them. The common theme was that all of them seemed to have better things to do than bother with her and the thought made her angrier than she had been before she'd gone searching for company. Didn't they realize who she was?

She'd nearly given up on the night's entertainment when her eyes landed on the little red blood Dane had been playing with for who knew how long. Because of her, he'd barely even looked at Mimi despite all her best efforts. He was becoming infamous for hurrying out after Committee meetings and he'd even had the gall to turn down invitations to not one, not two, but _three_ of her parties, saying it wasn't a good environment for his stupid girlfriend. It made her sick; mortals were for feeding and fun, nothing to waste actual emotion on. Well… unless that emotion was dark amusement.

She sauntered over to where Sasha sat in a corner; her eyes darting between the club's occupants and her cell phone's screen, stiletto heel tapping nervously. Grabbing two Grey Goose martinis from a server's tray and formulating her plan of attack on the way.

"Boyfriend gone to play with tastier bait?" Mimi smirked, sitting down close enough to be a direct invasion to the other girl's personal space, holding out one of the glasses in lou of permission.

"Back off, bat woman" Sasha frowned, refusing to look at Mimi or her offered glass. If that past two years had taught her anything, it was that no one showed up on Mimi's radar unless there was some benefit in it for the Force girl and moreover the scheme usually ended up to the detriment of everyone else involved.

Mimi let out a dry laugh and tucked the glass more insistently between the other's hands. "No need for name calling, I just saw you all alone and thought you might like some company while you wait for Dane to finish satisfying his… baser desires. But then again, why couldn't he just take care of that with you?" She smirked at the tense line now forming across Sasha's jaw.

She was going to win, but then again that wasn't a surprise, she always did.

She waited until the Sasha had gone back to staring at her cell phone and pointedly ignoring her before speaking in a dangerously casual voice that made the other girl shiver all the way to her toes. "Does he tell you it's because he loves you? That he doesn't want to see you get hurt? That it's just a survival skill?" She watched her opponent's face carefully, eyes glimmering in the club's lights, this was almost _too_ easy.

On a whim she moved in closer, until she was nearly touching the other girl's ear with her lips so she could whisper menacingly "…it's so much more than that."

Sasha shivered again and tried to pull away but found herself cornered against the tall sides of the couch. With a curse for modern furniture's refusal to grant her escape, she shifted her weight to stand, shocked by the speed and strength Mimi demonstrated in pulling her by the arm to back to the cushioned seat and pinning her there. "I'm sorry; did I say you could go?" She was taunting her now, the horrible, ruthless girl Sasha had managed to dodge through two years of school finally had her trapped like a mouse between her claws and worse yet, she knew it.

"Did he tell you what it's like?" She was dangerously close again; Sasha could feel her hot breath against her ear and smell the vodka she'd been drinking. "The collision of every aspect of two beings meshing together all at once…" Mimi could feel the girl's pulse racing, her fear and pain were nearly palpable. "…it's positively… delicious" she smirked as she finished and moved away enough to take another sip from her glass.

Sasha just sat poker straight, eyes fixed on the door Dane had left through some time ago… he should be back any minute now, shouldn't he? She should have just gone home like he asked, instead of insisting on waiting for him. /Stupid Sasha, really really stupid/.

Mimi followed her gaze, delighted at her own good fortune – she'd found a wound so close to the surface she barely had to dig to get under the other girl's skin. "I really don't see what the problem is… most of us don't draw such superficial lines between familiars and boyfriends or girlfriends." She shrugged, casually twirling her glass between her fingers until she reached a section of the rim untainted by her lipstick before sipping.

"Maybe he just doesn't think you can handle it." She'd found a pitch so in line with Sasha's own thoughts it was frightening. Realization dawned: "Get out of my head" Sasha demanded between clenched teeth and was surprised to hear laughter in reply.

"Please, I don't need to get anywhere near your mind to see something so obvious. What do you think we _talk_ about in all our meetings anyways?" It was a lie, it didn't matter. For a moment it looked like Sasha had every intention of hitting her, how amusing. "I'm sorry; did I say something to upset you? I'm just trying to help you know, woman to woman? Look, you can believe me or not, it really doesn't matter because sooner or later you're going to have to face facts – the only real reason he hasn't taken you is because he doesn't _want_ you." Even she was impressed with the sympatric note she managed to pull out with her last sentence, she should get an Emmy for work this good.

Her mission complete – she could already see the wet mascara lines shining on the other girl's face in the multifaceted light of the disco ball – she released her death grip on Sasha's arm, not at all surprised when she headed for the front door as fast as four-inch heels and a crowded dance floor would allow.

Mimi sat back against the cool leather of the couch and toasted herself on a job well done. Tonight had turned out to be amusing after all.


	2. Years Later

A/N: Just another drabble in the Dane/Sasha universe set several years in the future from the previous chapter, I added it on here though since a couple people have watched the story for updates : ).

She hated when she woke up alone, rolling over in the dark expecting the comforting warmth of another being only for her hand to feel the coolness of abandoned cotton. By then it was too late to ignore it, the cold would sink into her hand where it reached across the sheets, travel up through her arm and end firmly in her chest, threatening to stop her heart. /Not again…/

It happened at least twice a week, though he tried his best to hide it from her. He always waited until he was sure she was asleep to slip out from underneath the comforter; carefully tucking it back around her, taking a moment to brush back her hair and lightly kiss her temple, mouthing a silent apology. He'd get dressed in the dark – turning on a light was completely unnecessary – then silently shut the door behind him, making triple sure it was locked before heading out into the night.

Once she realized he was gone she knew she wouldn't fall back to sleep – she never could. She'd lie on her back, staring at the ceiling and blinking back hot tears. /It's nothing… it doesn't mean anything…/ recited like a mantra or a prayer, depending on the night. For some inexplicable reason, tonight was different, harder, and she was unable to content herself with silent hoping. Slipping out of bed, padding silently across the room to the dark wood dresser she bypassed her own drawers and reached into his. Pulling out an old t-shirt and holding it to her face, breathing in his scent before slipping it on, hugging her arms around herself.

Reaching over and flipping on the light, blinking in the harsh artificial glow she glanced around the room, looking for direction, not having planned any further than this. Papers to be graded were stacked high on her desk in front of the window, the ordered piles satisfying her organized personality and promising a lasting distraction. Sighing, she went to the kitchen, turned on the kettle, leaned against the counter as she waited for it to heat up.

In the past years she'd caught him once or twice, before he'd be so meticulously careful. The images crept into her mind now, forever burned into her memory and waiting behind a thin veil of acceptance to push through at moments such as this. She always told him not to apologize – comparing it to the necessary evils of insulin or chemotherapy others required to live – but they both knew that his need was intrinsically different.

_I wouldn't if I didn't have to, Sash, you know that!_

Of course she knew, but at moments like this it didn't make it hurt any less. She wondered where he was, who he was with, but mostly when he would come home. The whistling of the tea kettle pulled her from her revere, a strong welcome push back in to the present.

The blinking red light of the answering machine drew her attention - /you've got to call your mother back…/ but she already knew what she'd ask. They seemed to only have two conversations lately: 'when were they coming to visit' and 'was there any news on the baby front, I'm not getting any younger you know and Marie Claire says the best grandmothers are in their 50s'. /I wish I could tell you mom, I really do…/

She always thought it would get easier; but every time they passed someone on the street who gave him a lustful, knowing smile, every time she saw a commercial for baby products, every time he kissed her and told her she was the only woman he'd ever loved, it was always there in the back of her mind – an omnipresent shadow on an otherwise fairytale ending. Still, deep down she knew she'd never love anyone else the way she loved him.

Reaching out to press 'delete' on the answering machine, she took her tea and headed back to the bedroom, sitting down at the desk and starting to attack the pile of essays with an unnecessary vigor. /Just get though one more and you'll be able to go back to sleep/ she promised herself as the piles slowly shifted from the left side of the desk to the right, one cup of tea and then another disappeared as though through evaporation and sleep still remained at bay.

Hours later, he quietly slid the lock, left his shoes by the door and moved silently through the house. /Oh Sash…/ he sighed, taking in the half finished mug of cold tea and the essay full of red pen that had become an impromptu pillow. Sighing, he picked her up gently, smiling to himself when she snuggled against him and tucked her back into bed, taking the cup to the kitchen and straightening the paperwork before sliding in beside her. For another few days they could pretend they were a normal couple like everyone else, until he had to disappear again.


End file.
